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Thunder General Manager Sam Presti has proven no hesitation taking over contracts in an effort to achieve further draft picks. In flip, OKC has been a frequent associate with veteran gamers on the lookout for a brand new dwelling.
A main instance of this being Kemba Walker’s transactional interval in OKC. The former All-NBA expertise was traded to the Thunder by the Celtics so Boston might keep away from paying Walker the complete extent of his over $26 million contract. Walker was despatched to Oklahoma City in change for Al Horford, Moses Brown and a future second spherical choose.
After OKC agreed to pay the rest of Walker’s wage, the purpose guard was free to signal wherever he selected. Walker, who inked a cope with the Knicks, would go on to have the worst statistical season of his profession over his 37 video games in New York. The four-time all-star was traded to Detroit throughout the 2022 draft.
This offseason, the Denver Nuggets shipped JaMychal Green and a 2027 first spherical choose to Oklahoma City for a second spherical choose in 2022 and 2023 in addition to the draft rights to 2022 first spherical choose Peyton Watson. Thunder followers knew that Green would seemingly by no means swimsuit up for OKC, and anticipated a commerce or buyout situation.
Oklahoma City accomplished Green’s buyout on July twentieth, saving the staff over $2.5 million. The former Nuggets ahead signed with the defending champion Golden State Warriors later within the offseason.
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During the 2020-21 NBA season, Austin Rivers was despatched to OKC in a 3 staff commerce. Rivers, like Green and Walker, didn’t slot in with the Thunder’s rebuilding timeline, and was waived. The son of long-time participant and coach Doc Rivers signed with the Nuggets and averaged 8.7 factors per recreation for the rest of the season.
Prior to that season, Oklahoma City started its rebuild, firing Billy Donovan and shelling out Dennis Schröder, Chris Paul and Danilo Gallinari in separate trades. In return, Trevor Ariza, Danny Green, George Hill, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Ricky Rubio all had been traded to the Thunder within the offseason.
Presti then turned these gamers into much more draft picks, buying and selling Rubio to Minnesota for James Johnson, a 2024 second spherical choose and the draft rights to Aleksej Pokusevski whereas Oubre Jr. was despatched to the Warriors in return for a 2021 first spherical choose and two 2021 second spherical picks. Green and two different gamers had been shipped to Philadelphia in return for Al Horford, a 2025 first spherical choose, Vasilije Micic (who has but to play an NBA recreation) and Theo Maledon.
While these transactions make it seem as if the Thunder had been present process wholesale roster adjustments, the staff was trimming its veterans in an effort to stockpile draft picks and create a youthful roster that would develop and develop proper in entrance of the eyes of its hometown followers. Two years later, OKC’s roster seems nearly fully totally different, however the latest iteration of the Thunder is able to earn its hold within the Western Conference.
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story by The Texas Tribune Source link
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